Let us imagine, in our wildest dreams, a brand new totalitarian superstate. What devious methods of oppression would that superstate use against it’s own imprisoned citizens? How would it cope with a savvy and intelligent, internet aware citizens, used to expressing themselves as they wished. How would it cope with peoples who are used to travelling at will, to where they want? How would it suppress, monitor, survey and spy on it’s citizens using the very, very latest high tech equipment.
Well, the plans are being laid down right now. They will (and in many cases do already) include:
Permits to travel, pre authorised – your papers please
An all encompassing ID card – DNA, Bio, fingerprints, medical records, drivers licence and vehicle Registration, criminal records. All on one card.
A statewide paramilitary police force
Reduced border crossings to the free world.
All online activity by the “individual” to be monitored and digitised – from your mobile phone records to your friends on myspace, from your emails to which news site you read. Sorted and logged against each “citizen”. Accessible by all State authorities.
An example might be:
“work across multiple data streams and multiple types of data stream.
For example, if someone in an airport starts making a series of unusual mobile phone calls, the system might monitor the video streams of the areas where that person is more sensitively than it would normally. Or it might check passenger travel information to see if that person or someone related to them is due to arrive or depart in the next couple of hours.”
Fantasy? The basis of a good novel (in a new age way)?
Nope. FACT. The EU are planning all of the above and much much more for it’s citizens – including YOU. Statewatch have just released a 60 page report on it. Get over there and read it.
Tip: Get a new passport this year. It will be your last chance to get one without Biometrics or Iris scans. Ever.
h/t Obo